Rona

LOL I'm not all that awesome. I just get up in the morning and put on my britches like everyone else does

And yes.. it hurt.. a lot. It was 18 years ago so I've had a lot of time to get better. The last 6 years have been the best. I'm so glad to be biking again.

Knittedrose

I am blind (can see light and dark only) from a progressive eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. I was diagnosed as a child, attended a local "sight saving school" in grade school. Many other disabilities there as well, kids weren't main streamed, back then. I attended regular public school in Jr high and HS. I was legally blind by HS. in HS I ran cross country, track, and wrestled. I Wrestled my first year of college, but was injured and had to quit for the season. I got married the next year and didn't do any sports for a few years. Then I returned to long distance running. I ran by myself, until it was no longer safe to do so, then ran with a sighted guide. My wife and 2 children used to come and cheer me on when I ran races. I ran many 10 K's 25 K's and 3 marathons. I had to give up long distance running when my knee was injured in a car accident. ( I wasn't driving.) I continued to run 10 K's, until we moved and I no longer had a sighted person to run with. My wife of 41 years, and I, now ride a tandem, tadpole trike. We rode our first group tour this summer ,a 6 day 283 mile ride across our state. We had a great time, in spite of rain 5 out of the 6 days we rode. This past weekend we completed a 50 mile ride, The Big Mac Shoreline Ride. The weather was perfect and the ride was fun, even though we ended up with 2 flat tires. We really enjoy riding together and hope to more group tours and independent tours in the future. Life is good.

Sgt Mac

Yo Neil I have tried to upload photos on this site a dozen times, every time I get some kind of error message. I'm the last guy that wants to go messin around with my computer converting JPEGs down to something this site will accept. I've never had an issue on any other site accepting jpeg photos. My computer skills consist of email, google searches & that pretty much covers it so if my pics are too big, well they're too big.

Sgt Mac

Good for you Bro!

Sgt Mac

As for you blind guys/gals or nearly blind, I don't know what to say. Thats pure, raw tenacity, Bully for you!

Sixty Fiver

I figure that being able to put on my own britches beats have someone do it for me.

I count my blessings every day as the injury I suffered could have resulted in much worse consequences as that organic shrapnel could have killed nerves that control other important functions and would have left me in far worse shape.

The greatest blessing has been my wife... we had just started our relationship when the accident happened and she has been with me through every step and been there to pick me up... she has fought some serious health battles in her life and is an inspiration to me.

She has beaten cancer twice and suffered from debilitating endomitriosis for almost 2 decades and was able to have that addressed surgically this winter and is now getting some post op physiotherapy... she has never been so free of pain as she is now.

She attributes much of her own good health to cycling which is something she has been doing nearly every day for many many years.

GraysonPeddie

Consider using imageshack.us to upload a photo and post a photo here.


Mine looks like this:

[URL="https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/684/mytricycle.jpg/"][IMG]https://img684.imageshack.us/img684/6193/mytricycle.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

...which becomes...



I hope this helps.

Rona

Oh yeah.. I know what you mean! I'll do the britches myself, thank you!!!

I'm pretty thankful my wounds were right were they were too. It could have been a whole lot worse for me as well.

Our spouses are pretty rawk on people.

Chris516

Kudos' to the OP for asking this question.

Mine are:

1. Ventricular brain aneurysm that developed in utero
2. Congenital hydrocephalus that is a result of the brain aneurysm
3. Epilepsy that is a result of the six brain surgeries I had from 8mths. to 9yrs.(I have not had one since 1976).

I have a 24-Speed racing bike and, I ride in heavy traffic on 40-45mph roads.

boneshake

Yeah, that's likely our next step. However, it's not like she can't learn to ride a bike on her own. It's mostly a matter of motivation for her, not ability. We'll see what happens.

boneshake

Thanks for sharing, that's an interesting thing to deal with. Glad cycling is working for you.

Neil_B

Post them on another site like Flickr, Photobucket, or Facebook. Copy the URL and use the photo icon to post the image.

Sgt Mac

I will try that when I get my new bike, I just bought a Giant TCR Advanced SL1, I should have it & have it fitted to me mid next week.

Sgt Mac

Thanks for the tip Bro, I will look in to it! [QUOTE=GraysonPeddie;13266284]Consider using imageshack.us to upload a photo and post a photo here.


Mine looks like this:

Neil_B

Not just a photo of the bike.... your photo too.

The reason I'm suggesting it is due to a memory I have from a Pennsylvania State Chess Federation scholastic event a decade ago. I was an assistant tournament director, and we had a parent object to her son being paired against a child who had 'malformed' hands. She thought we shouldn't have allowed the 'disabled' boy to play because his appearance would upset the other children. The PSCF dismissed her complaint, of course. But there are a lot of people, even in the allegedly 'diverse' cycling world that would rather we not appear in public. I'm not ashamed of what I look like. I can't see why anyone here should be.

Onyxaxe

This brought tears to my eyes. I hate hearing of illnesses that make people suffer but I love hearing how people overcome them. This thread was a great idea.

Chris516

I don't have RP, but my vision is 20/40 in my right eye, and 20/200 in my left eye. Because of how my several brain surgeries affected my eyesight.

goagain

My husband has left side weakness and partial paralysis due to an old stroke. Now he has a broken left hip from a fall. Is there any kind of trike or recumbent trike he might possibly ride on level pavement after he recovers from hip surgery? He cannot use his left arm at all but was able to walk slowly with a hemiwalker before his fall. This would be a very ambitious goal for him, but what is available that he might ride? Thanks so much-

I'm so glad to see this section in BF!

Knittedrose

Good for your hubby for having such an ambitious gaol. It is doable. There was a man with cerebral palsy that had only the use of one arm and one leg, he had a trike that was cutomized. I think the customizing was done by his friends. He rode in many PALM rides. (PALM stands for Pedal Across Lower Michigan.) and I think he rode across the country as well. He passed away about a year ago. This years PALM ride was dedicated to him. I never had the honor of knowing Kevin, but he was a great inspiration to many. No doubt, you r hubby will be as well.

2manybikes

Any bicycle shop can get you an adult trike (they may not want to). But they don't normally stock them. Call some shops, or put "adult trike tricycle" into your browser to see some.
There is a guy in my town that has no use of his left arm, he rides his trike every day. I have a friend that has CP and no strength in her left leg. She rides a bike almost every day. It might be difficult for your husband to get into a recumbent and out. I suggest trying to get him to sit on an adult upright trike.
Here's mine. A lot of stuff added onto it. A new one just has the one basket that holds the dog on it.

Sixty Fiver

I picked up a trike for my housemate who has severe disability issues and cannot ride on two wheels... am not sure if I got the bike for him or my (our) dog as she loves going for rides and he loves taking her with him as they are constant companions.

On getting the trike he said it was like "freedom" and says it is the coolest set of wheels as although he does walk, the trike lets him range farther and faster and besides one fluffy little dog, it can carry a good deal of stuff.

I love Bailey's set up and also take Bijoux out for rides... there is a nightly gathering of puppies down at the park and she likes to hang with her friends.

2manybikes

Not too many things better than getting a ride in, taking the dog along, and getting to see the dog enjoy the company of other dogs. Even better if the other dog owners are friendly. I fnd they all are friendly.
Got any photos?

Sixty Fiver

Like bicycles, our pets seem to connect us to one another... my Shih Tzu only had one best dog friend in her life and that was our Minature Pinscher that passed away last fall but she is warming to other dogs and will at least tolerate them. She does not have a mean bone in her body, loves everyone, and for a time she volunteered as a therapy dog for children with disabilities.

Humans are her packmates...

She just came back from her morning ride and is bouncing all over the house now wondering where her girls (my daughters) went. My housemate is bouncing around too... cycling does work wonders.

I am heading off to physio but when I come back will upload some pictures...

choteau

At the age of 21 a L3-L4-L5 emergency decompressive laminectomy, resulting in nerve damage causing loss of use of left foot, weak left hamstring and hip flexors, rotators etc requiring AFO, just for fun +sciatica. The right side footdrop partially compensated by using toe flexors to lift foot "almost to neutral", weak foot extensors and rotators. Roll in the Cauda Equina Syndrome affecting the S1-S2-etc and you get some bowel and bladder etc issues. Fast forward 21 years and the knees and hips are paying the toll also, with bursitus and arthritis caused by over compensating for gimpy legs. Then a C5-C6 disc rupture, first surgery got most of the disc fragments, nine months later (after nerve damage to right tricep, outer forearm, index and thumb) second surgery "found" a bone spur and disc fragments missed the first time. Another 12 years bring us up to date, I ride my old 3 speed between 18 and 30 miles 3-4 times a week. Easier to ride 30 than walk 2. Except for a swagger when I walk (limp) I look "normal". Tim

Sixty Fiver

choteau - I understand the riding 30 is easier than walking 2 and a lot of people don't get it because "you look normal".

A friend of mine asked how I learned how to do that cool walk (swagger) so I kicked him in the shin.



We had put back a few beers before hand and this is something else I miss... I have almost no tolerance for alcohol any more as it turns me into a total ****.